Why Are We Back In Iraq?

He might as well.

Jay Rosen - an Associate Professor at NYU's Journalism school, author of the 1999 book "What Are Journalists For?", and blogger extraordinaire - posted his latest article yesterday at Press Think concerning the "de-certification" of the Press by the Bush Administration. In layman's terms, "de-certification" basically translates into the Bushies saying, "Hey the Media sucks cause they lie while we don't so we're taking over" (even though there's no oil to be found in any newsroom in America...though that David Brooks guy is a little bit oily).

In "From Meet the Press to Be the Press" Jay Rosen explains the significant significance of the video news release scandal which everyone in the blogosphere is talking about (ummm...they should be...but perhaps the blogosphere is being decertified too through Karl Rove talking points memos...bloggers it's kind of ridiculous to blog that something is a diversion but then keep blogging about it).

According to the Bush Administration, all propaganda that they release disguised as news (and aired by the embedded media) is "purely informational." The Bush Administration don't do lies, only those "liberal" journalists who want all the troops to come home from Iraq and demand election reform now (please somebody tell me what channel those "liberal" journalists are on...because all I can find are a bunch of butt-munching lackeys).

I know. I know. When I send someone a link to Jay Rosen, they're like, "Are you kidding me? Your posts are long enough, but that's just insane!" But Jay Rosen is easily one of the most important bloggers that we have (and by we...I mean all of us...both sides of the blogosphere...Jay Rosen is one of the gurus of "civic journalism" which is what this shit is supposed to be), and if you take an hour or two (or five or six) to read his brilliant articles than you will be even smarter (or more of a wise-ass) than you were before (I believe reading Wonkette will do the exact opposite...not because she's a woman, of course...just because she sucks...and not sucks as in anything sexual...sucks as in "can barely even play"...and not play as in...sigh).

And I'd like to add that Jay Rosen's articles contain no steroids. You can bulk up legally and with a clean mind.

But this isn't dry academia stuff. Jay's funnier than that guy who stole David Letterman's job. Here's a few of my favorite bits in Jay's latest article:

"There is no "particular viewpoint" in the fake news spots, no message like: Bush Administration on the case."

"While today ninety-nine percent of the clients who pay for the production of a video news release about their work want it to highlight the great work being done, in Bushland there is, we're told, none of that stuff. No spin allowed, guys and gals. Just the facts, Uncle Sam."

"The innovation is in the coherence and totality of the approach, from the special interest argument, and the grinding newslessness of the briefings, to the fake news forms encouraged at the Department level, and how it all fits with the Bush Bubble, plus other simulations of the very things being lost-- or being destroyed."

Now, class, go read the rest for yourself (and if you happen to notice some blogger's name at the bottom of Jay's article, a blogger who is thanked for digging, all I have to say is...that the Bush Administration's not the only ones that hand out the payola...just a joke, folks...no one's paying me anything...in fact I just lost my last job because I spend all my time blogging...the only special interest I have in interest is you).

# posted by Ron Brynaert : 3/22/2005 04:08:00 PM